


King of Aces, King of Liberos

by All_My_Characters_Are_Dead



Series: Ship KomoSaku With Me [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Getting Together, I just needed to write them after this week's chapter, Komori and Sakusa both need more love okay, M/M, almost fake dating but not quite?, please love them with me
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2016-11-18
Packaged: 2018-08-31 16:34:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8585812
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead/pseuds/All_My_Characters_Are_Dead
Summary: “Stop messing around, Sakusa. We’re not actually dating!” Silence stretched between them for a long moment - too long, why wasn’t Sakusa saying anything, did Komori miss something? - and then Komori realized that Sakusa’s eyes were wide with shock and...pain?“We’re not?” Sakusa’s voice was heart wrenchingly small as he stared at Komori.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [A_Sirens_Lullaby](https://archiveofourown.org/users/A_Sirens_Lullaby/gifts).



> OKAY SO I HAD A BURNING NEED TO WRITE KOMORI, AND THEN I SCREAMED WITH SIREN ABOUT HIM AND SAKUSA FOR A BIT, AND THIS HAPPENED. SO HERE. HAVE SOME KOMORI.

Komori stepped out of the locker room and glanced around for Sakusa. They were planning to go to Komori’s after practice to do homework and maybe watch a movie, so normally Sakusa would wait outside the locker room for Komori, since Sakusa was always the first one in the shower and the first one out. Komori heard a chorus of squeals and groaned. The girls must have abducted Sakusa again. He trudged toward the noise, rounded the corner, and yeah, there they were, crowding around Sakusa just like they did all the time, cooing over the school’s ace.

Not that Komori could really blame them; he’d like to coo over Sakusa occasionally himself. And by occasionally, he meant a lot. Possibly all the time. Because Sakusa was tall and strong and yeah he had some quirks - like the shower thing - but he was a good friend, and his hair was so soft and curly, and he had those two little moles above his eye and Komori really really wanted to kiss them. 

Komori shook his head, trying to clear this thoughts. It was time to do as he always did when this happened and rescue his best friend - god, he wanted to call Sakusa more than that, but that’s all they were - from the horde of admirers that seemed to find him no matter where he hid. 

“Kyoomi!” Komori called, plastering a grin on his face as he trotted up to them and shouldered his way between the girls. He really wanted to use that name when there  _ wasn’t  _ a bunch of fans around, because he wanted to know if calling Sakusa by his given name would affect him at all. Sakusa’s posture - tense and closed off as he shied away from the crowd of girls - relaxed as soon as he heard Komori’s voice, and Sakusa’s arms slid around Komori’s waist as Komori reached him and pressed against his chest. “Ready to go home?”

“Aw, you always come and take him away!” one of the girls complained. Komori glanced over his shoulder at her and smirked as he felt Sakusa rest his chin on top of Komori’s head. 

“Well, of course! He’s my boyfriend, after all,” Komori told her, smugness radiating from him as he turned away and nuzzled against Sakusa’s neck. He stayed there until he heard the crowd disperse, letting his eyes flutter shut. Like this, he could almost pretend it was true, could almost imagine what it would be like if Sakusa actually  _ was _ his boyfriend. 

“Thank you,” Sakusa murmured, his arms tightening around Komori for a moment. Komori started to step back, but Sakusa’s grip didn’t loosen. 

“Sakusa? You okay?” Komori asked, squirming to try to look up. Sakusa had his mask on, but Komori had known him long enough to be able to read his expression in his eyes, if he could just get a good look at them. Sakusa was still holding him tightly, though, so Komori couldn’t see enough of Sakusa’s face to figure out what he might be thinking. “You don’t have to keep holding on, you know. They’re gone,” Komori prompted, wiggling and trying to duck out of Sakusa’s hold. It was too dangerous for him to stay this close to Sakusa for too long. He was already too tempted to just melt into Sakusa’s embrace and stay there forever. “You don’t have to keep pretending.” That last part wasn’t supposed to be loud enough for Sakusa to hear, but of course he did anyway. Sakusa’s arms loosened, and he leaned back to stare down at Komori, his brow wrinkled in confusion. 

“Pretending?” he repeated. Komori rolled his eyes; this wasn’t something he’d expected Sakusa to tease him about, and he didn’t think he could stand it, but he managed to hide the way his heart twinged. 

“Yeah. You don’t have to keep pretending we’re dating anymore. It’s just us,” Komori insisted, frowning up at Sakusa. For a moment, the ace was still. 

“I’m not pretending,” Sakusa said, very quietly. Komori scowled; this joke or whatever it was had gone too far, and he was pretty sure one of their teammates had put Sakusa up to this, because Sakusa wouldn’t be this cruel on his own. 

“Of course you’re pretending! I’m pretending! We’ve both been pretending since the first time I jumped in to drive those ridiculous fans of yours away!” Komori snapped, finally pulling away from his friend, glaring up at him as he added, “Stop messing around, Sakusa. We’re not actually dating!” Silence stretched between them for a long moment -  _ too long, why wasn’t Sakusa saying anything, did Komori miss something? _ \- and then Komori realized that Sakusa’s eyes were wide with shock and...pain? 

“We’re not?” Sakusa’s voice was heart wrenchingly small as he stared at Komori, who was confused and starting to get really upset.

“Of course we aren’t! Why would we be?” Komori retorted.  _ Why would someone like you, who could have anyone you wanted, be dating me? _ Sakusa flinched, and his shoulders curled in, hunching defensively the way they did when a crowd got too big or too loud. Komori stared at him, completely bewildered. What had he said to make Sakusa so upset? Or was something else going on that Komori didn’t know about?

“I think I’ll just go home. I can do my homework alone,” Sakusa said softly. Komori frowned as he nodded, still confused and now a little hurt, not sure what to say to Sakusa as the ace turned and walked away. As Sakusa disappeared from sight, Komori replayed their conversation over and over in his head. What had he done? 

Slowly, it dawned on him. Sakusa had started to calm down when Komori barged in as usual to rescue him from the crowd of girls. But Sakusa had gotten upset all over again - moreso, actually - when Komori had said he was...pretending...to be dating Sakusa…

“Fuck,” Komori whispered. Had Sakusa thought they were actually dating? But they’d never kissed, and Komori never let them get too close for too long, no matter how much he wanted to. But they did hold hands, Komori realized, even if it was only when he was guiding Sakusa through a crowd. They did hug, even if it was usually so Komori could check to see if Sakusa was settled down after a crowd got to be too much. Sakusa even regularly fell asleep on Komori’s shoulder or lap during movie nights, and when he thought Sakusa was asleep, Komori had let himself run his fingers through Sakusa’s hair to his heart’s content. 

Komori pulled his phone out, found Sakusa’s number and called it as he set off in the direction of Sakusa’s house. The phone rang, and rang, and rang, and then went to voicemail. Komori hung up and tried again, and this time the voicemail message was immediate. Komori swore as Sakusa’s voice told him to leave a message. 

“Sakusa, please pick up the phone. I’m sorry, okay? We seriously need to talk, so please answer me!” Komori pleaded, picking up his pace. “I’m going to your house, please let me explain.” Komori hung up and sped up again, until he was sprinting down the street toward Sakusa’s house. When he got there, he rang the doorbell and waited anxiously. After a moment, the door opened, and Sakusa’s mother blinked at him in surprise. 

“Komori? I thought you and Kyoomi were studying at your house today,” she exclaimed. Komori stared at her for a moment, wondering if maybe Sakusa was inside and she was covering for him. 

“Uh...not exactly. I think we had a fight. I mean, it was a misunderstanding, but Sakusa left school before I did and I really need to find him and apologize,” Komori admitted, hoping honesty would convince Sakusa’s mother to let him in if Sakusa was actually inside hiding from him. 

“Maybe he stopped somewhere to calm down?” Sakusa’s mother suggested, worry coloring her tone. Komori hesitated for a second, then decided she really didn’t know where Sakusa was. 

“I’ll look for him. Can you tell him to call me if he comes home?” Komori asked. Sakusa’s mother smiled despite the concern in her gaze. 

“Of course. I’d hate to see you two fighting for long,” she replied. Komori almost asked if she thought he was dating Sakusa, too, but decided against it and headed back the way he’d come, this time examining his surroundings carefully for any place Sakusa might have stopped to calm down. He made it all the way back to the school, with no sign of Sakusa, so he tried calling him again, but all he got was the same message telling him he’d reached Sakusa’s voicemail and to wait for the beep. 

Desperation overwhelmed Komori’s confusion - honestly, how had Sakusa thought they were a couple? It wasn’t like Komori had ever confessed to him or anything - and frustration - how had he managed to handle Sakusa’s reaction so poorly? He should have realised sooner - as he turned back toward Sakusa’s house. 

This time, he paused to rest across the street from a bustling cafe. He glanced at the place, then turned away. Sakusa didn’t like crowds; he wouldn’t pick such a busy place to calm down. 

Except it hadn’t been nearly that busy the first time Komori had passed. 

Komori crossed the street and walked into the cafe. He squeezed past the line of people waiting to order and saw Sakusa’s tall frame hunched in one of the booths in the far corner, as far from everyone else as possible. Komori rushed to his side and paused, taking in the hunch of Sakusa’s shoulders, the way his chin was tucked against his chest, the way his whole body was shaking slightly. Sakusa’s fists were in his lap, and Komori worried his nails were biting into his palms. 

“I’m so sorry,” Komori murmured, reaching for Sakusa’s hand. The ace’s fingers stayed clenched, but he lifted his head, blinking at Komori in confusion. “Come on, I’m getting you out of here.” Sakusa hesitated, then let himself be tugged from the booth. He followed Komori silently, even as they had to squeeze past the crowd to get outside. Sakusa was trembling as Komori pulled him down the street until they came across a small park. Komori led Sakusa away from the street. “I’m sorry, Sakusa. I should have realized...I mean, I shouldn’t have snapped at you...I just-” Sakusa’s hand relaxed, his fingers releasing from their fist and twining with Komori’s for a second, and Komori thought maybe everything would be okay. But then Sakusa stepped back, pulled his hand away from Komori’s. 

“Why are you here?” Sakusa whispered. “Why did you come find me?” Komori almost reached for him again, but stopped himself. 

“Because you’re my best friend! I went to your house, but your mom said she hadn’t seen you! I’ve been looking all over for you,” Komori told him. Sakusa flinched when Komori called him his friend, and Komori floundered for a second. “Sakusa...why did you think we were actually dating? Neither of us ever asked the other out. I just said that to make those girls leave you alone. You always look so uncomfortable, and you never seemed to mind…”

“There are always so many of them, and usually a few try to confess, so of course I’m uncomfortable. I don’t like them,” Sakusa replied sullenly. “I’m always glad when you come in and drive them off.”

“If you knew I was just doing it to get rid of them, why did you think…” Komori trailed off, tried to collect himself, and rephrased, “Why didn’t you ever just say that actually dating was something you wouldn’t object to?” Sakusa hesitated, then looked away and mumbled his response. Komori frowned and moved closer, and Sakusa sighed and repeated himself before Komori could ask. 

“You told them we were already dating...so I thought maybe I’d missed something, but I liked the idea of dating you, and I didn’t want to upset you.”

“Trust me, I would have made it very clear if we were dating. You shy away from people so much, I would have sat down with you and talked about boundaries and stuff. I don’t want to do anything that would make you uncomfortable.” Sakusa finally looked at him then, surprise and confusion in his eyes. 

“But I like everything we do. I like it when you hold my hand when you pull me through the crowds. I like it when you’re close enough for me to hold you while you make all those girls go away. I like being close to you. You’re the one who always pulls away; I just thought you didn’t like a lot of physical contact and let you go,” Sakusa explained. “I didn’t want to make you uncomfortable.” For a second, Komori just stared at Sakusa. 

“You mean, this whole time...I could have been letting you hold me as much as I want?” Komori asked incredulously. When Sakusa opened his mouth to respond, Komori continued, “Sakusa, it’s not that I don’t like phsyical stuff. I like it  _ too much _ . I was afraid if I touched you too much, you’d figure out that I’ve had a crush on you for ages.” Sakusa closed his mouth, then opened it again. When he finally spoke, Sakusa’s voice was so small and nervous that Komori almost didn’t believe it was actually his ace’s voice. 

“Does that mean you wouldn’t mind if I held you right now?” Sakusa asked. His eyes were fixed on the ground, his shoulders still hunched, and Komori realized that Sakusa still hadn’t calmed down from the crowded cafe, and their conversation hadn’t exactly been relaxing. Komori moved forward, slid his arms around Sakusa’s waist, and hugged him as tightly as he could. Sakusa’s arms came around his shoulders, enveloping him in the ace’s warmth. This time, Komori let himself sink into how familiar and comforting it felt and tilted his head, tucking his face against Sakusa’s neck. After a minute or so, Sakusa’s arms loosened, and Komori realized that this was the point where he usually stepped away. Instead, he managed to melt into Sakusa’s hold a little more, signalling that he wasn’t letting go until Sakusa actually wanted him to this time. 

“Hey, Sakusa?” Komori murmured, nuzzling the ace’s jaw without thinking. Sakusa made a soft noise that almost made Komori pull away until he realized the sound was pleased. “When I asked earlier why we would be dating for real, I didn’t mean that I wouldn’t want to be your boyfriend or anything. Actually, I don’t know why you’d want to date  _ me _ .” One of Sakusa’s hands slid to his lower back and pressed him closer to Sakusa’s chest, while the other came up to his hair, carding through the shorter hairs at the back of his neck. 

“You’re my best friend. You always come to help me, even when I ignore your phone calls,” Sakusa added sheepishly, the material of his mask pressing against the top of Komori’s head as he spoke. “I was really happy when I thought we were dating.” Komori pulled back just enough to look up into Sakusa’s eyes, studying his expression carefully. 

“Would you still be happy if we were actually dating?” Komori asked tentatively. Sakusa’s eyes widened, the corners crinkling in the way they did when he smiled.

“Yes, I would. As long as that’s what you want, too,” Sakusa answered. Komori nodded eagerly, and nearly banged his forehead on Sakusa’s cheek as the ace pulled him back in close. 

“We should go to your place,” Komori said after a while. “Your mom is probably really worried.” 

“Can I hold you again when we get there?” Sakusa asked hopefully. Komori agreed easily, happily. 

They didn’t end up getting any homework done, because Sakusa was so exhausted that as soon as he flopped onto his bed - heaped with pillows and plushies for comfort - with Komori in his arms, he was dozing off. Komori settled down in Sakusa’s embrace and closed his own eyes, only waking up when his cell phone rang, letting him know his parents were calling to ask where he was. Komori started to get up to answer, but Sakusa tightened his arms and mumbled sleepily. 

“Stay.”

Komori felt his heart melt, and he gave almost before he realized there was something to give in  _ to _ . His phone was still ringing, though, so he wrestled it out of his pocket and answered it just long enough to tell his parents he’d be staying overnight at Sakusa’s, before dropping the phone among the mountain of plushies and pillows and curling up in Sakusa’s arms once more. 

**Author's Note:**

> Also the title is because I've seen people call Komori the king of liberos? And now he's the king of Sakusa's heart I guess (that sounds so sappy but whatever)? So that makes Sakusa the king of Aces right? Anyway. Yeah. Come scream with me about the giant libero baby and his germ-and-crowd-fearing ace.


End file.
